Sharky's Machine (1981)

Tom Sharky is a narcotics cop in Atlanta who's demoted to vice after a botched bust. In the depths of this lowly division, while investigating a high-dollar prostitution ring, Sharky ... See full summary »

Director:

Burt Reynolds

Writers:

William Diehl (novel), Gerald Di Pego (screenplay)

Stars:

Burt Reynolds, Vittorio Gassman, Brian Keith

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Burt Reynolds	...	Sgt. Tom Sharky
Vittorio Gassman	...	Victor Scorelli
Brian Keith	...	Papa
Charles Durning	...	Lt. Friscoe
Earl Holliman	...	Donald Hotchkins
Bernie Casey	...	Arch
Henry Silva	...	Billy Score
Richard Libertini	...	Nosh
Darryl Hickman	...	Smiley
Rachel Ward	...	Dominoe
Joseph Mascolo	...	Joe Tipps
Carol Locatell	...	Mabel
Hari Rhodes	...	Highball Mary
John Fiedler	...	Barrett
James O'Connell	...	Twigs

Storyline

Tom Sharky is a narcotics cop in Atlanta who's demoted to vice after a botched bust. In the depths of this lowly division, while investigating a high-dollar prostitution ring, Sharky stumbles across a mob murder with government ties, and responds by assembling his downtrodden fellow investigators (Sharky's "machine") to find the leaders and bring them to justice before they kill off all his partners and witnesses, including Sharky himself.

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Plot Keywords:

prostitution | vice | murder | violence | law enforcement | 

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Taglines:

Nobody leans on Sharky's Machine. [Theatrical]

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English French Italian

Release Date:

18 December 1981 (USA)

Also Known As:

Brigada Anti-Crime

Filming Locations:

Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Deliverance Productions, Warner Bros

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This was the first major movie for actress Rachel Ward who had previously only worked in television and on one smaller film, Night School.

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Goofs

In the opening scene, Murray the Junkman is seen holding the bag of heroin before Sharky hands it to him.

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Quotes

Arch: Sharky, I hit his ass. He's got four bullets in him, and the fucker won't go down!
Sharky: Maybe he knows more about Zen than we do!

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Connections

References Laura (1944)

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Soundtracks

"My Funny Valentine"
Performed by Julie London
Written by Richard Rodgers & Lorenz Hart

User Reviews

Dirty Harry Goes To Atlanta

That's how Burt Reynolds describes this film, which happens to be his best ever. He plays Tom Sharky, a vice detective who's on the trail of an international mobster (Vittorio Gassman) and the man he's financing to be the next governor of Georgia (Earl Holliman). In the novel by William Diehl, the story is more complex because the guy's running for president. This is a very long movie that feels more like three hours instead of two. The filming in downtown Atlanta and the Peachtree Plaza hotel sets the mood just right for the story. Reynolds doesn't do much laughing in this one compared to his comedy films. He's very serious here, especially in the beginning of the movie because he gets demoted for a dope bust that goes wrong. At times though, the movie plays more like a voyeuristic drama than a crime film with Burt trying to get close to the mobster's woman. Only towards the end of the film does the violence get cranked up that leads to the bang bang climax. Just like the great jazz score in DIRTY HARRY by Lalo Schifrin, Sharky's Machine features an excellent urban jazz soundtrack with many guest stars including Chet Baker, Julie London, Flora Purim & Buddy De Franco, The Manhattan Transfer, Doc Severinson, Sarah Vaughan and Joe Williams. Al Capps handles the score with magic. This movie has become one of the best crime dramas ever. Check it out.

Score, 8 out of 10 Stars